Superhero Club by Derek Thompson

March 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

CLUB
Superhero Club by Derek Thompson
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (35 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

You only find out you’re a butterfly if you spread your wings.

Twelve year-old Jo has never fit in at school, what with being overweight and over-sensitive. Since Dad moved out, Mom forgets who’s who in the whole mother-daughter relationship. Jo has one ambition in life: to be normal. Not gifted, or gorgeous, or even particularly popular. Just normal.

When Jo’s counselor offers her a lifeline, there’s a bunch of other misfits sharing the rope. Group sessions could help them to help each other, but Chris doesn’t like speaking and Alistair’s a self-confessed geek. Like Stevie, the joker, says, “Oh yeah, right bunch of bloody superheroes we are!”
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Sometimes the most heroic thing is to trust a group of strangers, who also have a lot at stake. Jo may find the unlikeliest of friends, and a way to transform her life from the inside. The Superhero Club could give her all that in the blink of an eye. Well, maybe a double-blink!

Jo feels like the school counselor, Kirsty, is the only person she can talk to. So when their twelve provided sessions runs out, Jo feel a little like the world is ending. When Kirsty suggests Jo join in a group session on Saturdays at the local Community Center, Jo isn’t sure, but is willing to give it a try. She meets with four other kids from her school and together they can talk about anything and everything, and especially help each other with their problems. They become the Superhero Club.

This is a wonderful tale of a twelve year old learning how to overcome issues such as bullying, her parents’ divorce and her own struggles to grow up. I found it to be warm, inspiring and full of self-confidence boosters for pre-teens. Jo (and her mother) struggle with weight issues and teasing in particular, but deeper problems are also more carefully dealt with and discussed – things like “fake” or fair weather friends, learning to rely on yourself and not be needy, anger management issues and how to balance the desire to grow up but still retain the imagination and joy of being a twelve year old.

I loved how the kids came together, and how by expressing themselves as Superheroes and having special powers they could build themselves and each other up by focusing on their strengths. The kids really become good friends in a realistic fashion, ending up fully supporting each other and sharing their secrets, dreams and experiences. They learn that together they’re far stronger and the fact they’re not alone after all helps them all come to terms with their concerns. I found this to be a warm, wonderfully written story full of positive messages for pre-teens and one that left me with a great, optimistic feeling.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Strangers in the Lane by Virginia Rose Richter

February 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment

LANE

Strangers in the Lane by Virginia Rose Richter
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery, YA
Length: Short Story (41 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Think a baby monitor is just to keep tabs on the baby? That’s what Jessie Hanson believes until she hears a sinister conversation coming through her little brother’s monitor. Instead of baby chatter, Jessie hears a rough-talking man and a woman with an accent planning a robbery somewhere in her small Nebraska town. Twelve-year-old Jessie, with the reluctant help of her best friend, Tina Adams, decides to track down these thieves before someone gets hurt.

The result cheapest cialis in australia is improved all round vigor and vitality to the male body. Apart from them many cipla cialis antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs cause impotence. Long levitra for women email addresses make it harder for achieving erection. Sadly, there is no recovery or repair for sildenafil price spinal cord unlike other body parts. Jessie Hanson is annoyed at having to babysit her younger brother, Phillip when all her friends are out sledding – but with their regular sitter out sick she doesn’t have a choice. Doing their homework while Phillip was napping, Jessie and her best friend Tina overhear part of a conversation on the baby monitor. Their natural teenage curiosities aroused, they decide they have the next week to try and work out whose voices they overheard plotting to steal something.

Equal parts fun and serious, this is a lovely read. A mystery, it’s safe for teens, but also interesting enough to capture adult reader’s imaginations as well. While I found this to be a new twist on a well-done tale, it remained fresh and maintained my interest. The small town style characters were well fleshed out, and the interactions were light and realistic. This won’t appeal to readers who enjoy a deeply gritty, intricate plot, but I found there were enough twists to satisfy me and keep me turning the pages.

I enjoyed this mystery, found the narrative from a teenage girl to be a fresh perspective and the characters endearing and interesting. The story line kept me intrigued and the style of writing from the author was lighthearted, fun and well-constructed. Readers young and old will enjoy this, as will small town story fans and mystery aficionados.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Ameca J and the Legacy of Menindus by Paul Xavier Jones

November 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Ameca J and the Legacy of Menindus by Paul Xavier Jones
Book 1 of the Ameca J Chronicles
Publisher: Storyteller Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (381 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Peppermint

The Legacy of Menindus… Teenage life seems vastly unfair to fourteen year old Ameca or Ameca J, as she prefers to be called always being pressured by her Dad to watch out for her stupid and annoying ten year old sister, Fraya. But when the girls are mysteriously transported by The Spirit to a dangerously different world populated by mediaeval Men, noble Elves, magnificent Dragons, and savage creatures, Ameca s whole perspective has to change and change quickly if they are to escape the clutches of an evil entity known as the Scelestus, who wants them for the magical powers they did not even know they possessed.

Their stressed out and overworked father, Paul is summoned by The Spirit to join his daughters in the mythical land of Mythrania, where he learns that they are the One, the Flame and the Flower . They are the heirs to the legendary High Magi, Menindus, who foretold of their coming to save this world and their own…But this is no fairytale; the dark entity known as the Scelestus has a plan to harness the power of the universe and to completely dominate all life…… Can Ameca and her family stop the Scelestus, and prevent a catastrophe that would see the enslavement of countless worlds, as well as the destruction of their own…?

Look out evil…here come the girls.

This is unlike any fantasy story I have ever read. From start to finish this story drew me in. With a vast array of both recognizable and new mythical creatures, I was truly entertained.

Ameca J is everything you expect in a fourteen year-old girl. She has a strong will and sassy tongue that can rival anyone. I also enjoyed her view of her “annoying” little sister, Fraya. Though she has all the makings to be a great woman, I was still able to see her innocence and inexperience. I could not wait to see what she did next throughout the story. Especially since she was dealing with forces that could break even the strongest of adults.

Though I can see how Ameca was the main character of the story, the author provided me some insight on other characters such as her sister, father, and others helping them on their quest. Each character had their own traits that seemed to shine through and make them intriguing. Whether it be Ameca’s father’s impatience, or her sister’s ability to manipulate people, I looked forward to their actions and what kind of effect they’d have on the plot.

The fantasy element on this story is what really made it stand out from the rest for me. The author did a wonderful job with incorporating fantasy with various myths such as werewolves, wizards, and folklore. I quickly found myself picturing Menindus and felt as if I was there with the characters experiencing all this fascinating world had to offer. I can easily see why kids and parents would enjoy reading this story.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Michaela’s Gift by Cordelia Dinsmore

October 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Michaela’s Gift by Cordelia Dinsmore
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (135 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Michaela Cochran still believes in enchanted mountains and fairytale castles, but her happily-ever-after will never happen if she can’t convince her mother to accept the magical gift Michaela has inherited.

Michaela Cochran and her family make the trip to her father’s ancestral home every year, but this year is special. Michaela is now twelve, the age when every girl in the family receives a special gift. When Aunt Sharon explains that Michaela’s gift is a magical ability to bring one of her drawings to life, Michaela begins making plans. What she wants most is a castle high on the mountain, where her family can live together. But if she can’t figure out how to resolve the growing hostility between herself and her mother, her gift is meaningless.

“Twelve is a magical age for every girl. You’re no longer a little girl, but you’re not quite a woman.” Michaela is just as mystified by this process as everyone else who has been through puberty. She has one foot planted in the innocence of childhood and is stepping into the next phase of life with just a little trepidation.

It isn’t easy to create a character who personifies this period in life without portraying her in an overly sentimental or emotional light but Ms. Dinsmore struck the perfect balance with Michaela. I truly enjoyed getting to know this character as she unravels a mystery that is at the heart of the disharmony she feels with her mother.

What surprised me the most about this book was how much I liked the secondary characters as well. Her older brother Sean provides a few instances of much-needed comic relief and her warm relationship with her grandparents and Aunt Sharon gave me glimpses of certain aspects of Michaela’s personality that her nuclear family probably doesn’t see regularly.

I was confused when one of the characters has an abrupt change of mind about something that was a repeated source of conflict earlier in the plot. Readers weren’t given a great deal of information about why or how this took place and as much as I enjoyed seeing the matter resolved I would have preferred to see more time spent discussing what made this individual change her mind.

Michaela’s Gift reminded me of all of the emotions and experiences I encountered for the first time at twelve. Even though my adventures were not nearly as exciting as Michaela’s my inner preteen felt a sincere kinship with her. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in seeing the world through the eyes of a twelve-year-old whether it is as a reader living through that age for the first time or someone who wishes to relive old memories.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

We’re Done by Judy Irwin

October 4, 2012 By 9 Comments

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We’re Done by Judy Irwin
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (90 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rated: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

What if it turns out that YOU’RE the bully – and you didn’t know it?

Things aren’t going very well for thirteen-year-old Luke Mitchell. He’s been kicked out of his posh private school, Heyworth Academy; his best friend Jon has just dumped him; and the tough guys at his new school have chosen him for their next target.

For a guy who used to be the king of the campus, it’s hard to adjust. His upside-down world at Carlyle gives Luke a whole new way of looking at things. Can he recover from losing his school and his best friend, and find new friends and a way to fit in at Carlyle?

Luke Mitchell sees himself as a funny guy. Really funny – and he’s quite sure other people find him funny as well. He’s also star athlete at Heyworth Academy; a top swimmer, and captain of the soccer team.  What’s not to like?

We realize, long before he does, that he’d be described somewhat differently than he thinks of himself. Even his friends know he’s a jerk, how come he doesn’t?

Irwin’s character Luke isn’t really all that likeable right off the bat, but… somehow, we readers can’t quite stop ourselves from reading more. He’s one of those rare main characters who we don’t want to like – yet – we know something is going to happen to him and we can not stop reading.

No spoilers here: stuff does happen to Luke, more stuff than you might guess, but he sure didn’t see coming.

This is high school, and everything matters. Friends matters, your parents matter, and it seems like everyone else has more control of your life than you do. Its realistic and sometimes painful, with humorous moments and then also the moments that you have to acknowledge just aren’t funny. People can be shallow and also, just plain mean.

We’re Done takes on some big questions, like what it means to be a friend – and what it feels like to lose a friend. Consequences figure pretty enormously here, and in spite of it all, you do kind of start feeling for Luke. Fitting in can be tough for anyone – even a tough guy. Not everyone has his view of humor… and we wonder, constantly, if he ever will consider looking at things from a different perspective.

This book will make you think; but don’t read it because of that. Read it because Luke could be a guy in class, a brother of yours, or some other kid in class. You might know a Luke, or you might be surprised by looking at the world through his eyes.  Well done.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

Alexander Drake’s Extraordinary Pursuit by Elizabeth Parkinson Bellows

September 24, 2012 By 1 Comment

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Alexander Drake’s Extraordinary Pursuit by Elizabeth Parkinson Bellows
Publisher: Wild Child Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (112 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Alexander Drake is a curious young man. He lives in a drab, oversized mansion with his secretive father and spends his days playing alone. Where is his mother? And why is his father so tight-lipped about the past?

But secrets have a way of getting out. And a stay at his grandmother’s cottage provides strange clues to his father’s past. A past Alexander is determined to find out about.

With a mysterious key and several maps in his pack, he sets off on an innocent search for answers about his family.

The discovery of a secret passageway opens the door to dangers, and wonders, unimaginable. And each answer leads to more questions and the journey of his life.

Join Alexander for a thrilling adventure in Azra’s Pith, a place of beauty and magic… but beware–something evil lurks in the shadows.

A lonely boy, out of place in school, lives with a cold, silent father. Alexander Drake is unhappy. He longs to know more about his mother, but his father won’t talk about her. An unexpected visit to his grandmother supplies some of the answers to his questions when he finds articles and maps that belonged to his father, presumably from when he was younger.

The maps lead him to a strange word of magic, unusual creatures and danger. He must go on a journey to his grandfather’s castle but the route is dangerous, with flying merks trying to catch him and take him to the dreadful Imperius who has been confined to absolute darkness.

This book was a pleasant read. The excitement and adventure were muted, but the story itself was smoothly put together. Alexander’s character is well portrayed with the usual fears and self importance of boys of his age. The land of Azra’s Pith is well developed and provides Alexander with some interesting obstacles to overcome.

Alexander’s initial interaction is with talking animals and these show sagacity, humor and loyalty, just as a human would. I did enjoy reading the book, just wished there had been a few more highs and lows. Apparently this is the first of the series so there will be more mysteries to look forward to. A book gripping enough for 10 years and upwards, but without any scenes an adult would object to.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

The Secret of Willow Lane by Virginia Rose Richter

September 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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The Secret of Willow Lane by Virginia Rose Richter
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: mystery/suspense, recent historical
Length: Short Story (47 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Stephanotis

Two eleven-year-old amateur detectives set out to solve the mystery of a deceased neighbor’s missing will and to identify a stranger snooping around the house where the will is thought to be hidden. What begins as an excuse to use their new detective kit turns into a frightening experience that has the girls running for their lives.

This was a fun read from beginning to end.

There’s nothing more mysterious than a book that begins with a light shining in an attic of a house that’s supposed to be empty. The opening scene drew me in and I felt myself wanting to read it in one sitting. The characters were all well developed and I liked the family setting and how the main character and her father interacted. There’s mystery, suspense, even some danger, and you find yourself looking for clues too, which I might add were cleverly placed by Ms. Richter. I thought the plot was heading one way and that I’d solved the mystery, but it proved that I was wrong. It’s fast paced and the ideal length for the 9-12 year old reader.

I liked the setting of this story too. I’m glad to hear that this is the beginning of a series featuring these two amateur sleuths because I’d like to read more about their adventures. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if adults and children choose to read this one together.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

There Are Giants in This Valley by Jack Hillman

September 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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There Are Giants in This Valley by Jack Hillman
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (258 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Peppermint

A young boy moves to the Lehigh Valley, meets beings from another dimension and joins a battle to save two worlds!

Thirteen-year-old Eric Johnson never wanted to move out of Philadelphia.

But the untimely death of his parents left him little choice in the matter and dropped him in the farm country outside the Lehigh Valley, an hour away from his old home, living with an aunt and uncle he barely knew. Used to the big city with its constant action and excitement, Eric found the slow pace of the rolling farms frustrating. He kept looking for ways to move back to the city, back to his friends and all his familiar activities.

But when Eric helped a tall, blond-haired stranger escape from a pack of wild dogs, he took the first step in an adventure that took him out of the mundane world of Eastern Pennsylvania and dropped him in the middle of Norse mythology; right at the heart of a centuries old war between the Norse Gods and their ancient enemy, the Frost Giants.

There is nothing more tempting to a young boy than an adventure full of giants, gods, dwarfs, and mystery. When Eric runs into Thor, a god of Norse legend, he knew an adventure would follow.

Add any type of mythology to a story and you have captured my attention. Norse mythology is not one that I would consider myself familiar with, but after reading this story I would love to learn even more. The author did a great job of collaborating mythology with reality, which created a dynamic story. The added twist and turns including other mythical creatures like giants and dwarfs and I couldn’t put the book down.

Eric is a character I can see in any boy. His life hasn’t been perfect, but he still has the innocence and compulsive personality. It’s what leads him to want to learn more about Thor and the others, as well as aid them in any way possible. I couldn’t help but think of my son, brother, cousins when reading this story, because I saw similar traits in them as well. These traits also made for a interesting read, because as with any young boy, Eric didn’t always do what was best for himself, but instead did what he felt needed to be done.

This story encompassed some great characters above and beyond just the main character. I got to meet some regular humans as well as other creatures who had personalities that came to life on the pages. They added depth at times, and humor at others. This is truly a story the whole family can enjoy.

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